Customer engagement: 3 core elements

“Success in projects is as much an attribute of ‘Intuitive’ action, as is ‘plan’ rendition” – Rajneesh

Thoughts played out herein:

Subject: The despair of Project management professionals in achieving the ever eluding ‘Customer Delight!’ is not a shy fact. It shows up way too often. Quite bold, not so beautiful!

Apart from the plethora of theories that rightly govern customer management principles, the following 3 fundamental efforts should fetch you ‘customer delight’ more often than not.

The Obvious – KNOW the customer need: Quite obvious? Hang in there. Fair statement, but it really has to begin here, hence stating the obvious for that quick warm-up! This effort should include knowing – All of the ‘stated needs’ as signed, agreed and promised. Key elements: Scope, Service level agreements, Delivery standards, Contractual obligations in toto.

The Subtle – Know MORE of the customer: Catch all of the ‘subtle hints’ generously thrown at you while the project gets underway as it reaches a steady-state. Key elements: Customer survey outcomes, Issue escalation, Performance feedback.

The Unstated – Know EVEN MORE of ‘your’ customer: Understanding all of the unstated needs! Are we being too philosophical? PROBABLY NOT! The art of getting to this (in my view, the most potential ‘differentiator’ for a business) is the ability and patience of the Project Manager (/Business Manager) to put oneself into the Customer shoes’. Read on…

Get on the other side of the table and think the customer’s mind. Now, paint the picture you would have wanted to see! The skeptic in us might say “Would this special effort make business sense, eventually?”. The answer is an emphatic ‘Yes!‘. Several outperforming Project Managers in the field out there will vouch for this.